Slash, Duff sue Axl

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Two former members of the US rock band Guns N' Roses have sued
frontman Axl Rose for allegedly naming himself sole administrator
of the group's copyrights.

The suit was filed on August 17 in federal court by Slash and
Duff, otherwise known as Saul Hudson and Michael McKagan. It
accuses Rose of profiting from their revenue shares to the tune of
about $US500,000 ($660,000) a year.

The suit claims Rose directed the American Society of Composers,
Authors and Publishers to send all publishing royalties to his
publishing company, bypassing the band's other partners.

Rose is "suffering an apparent attack of arrogance and ego. He
is no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former
partners and bandmates in having created some of rock's greatest
hits," the suit said.

Rose's lawyer, Howard Weitzman, said the singer had asked to
receive only his portion of royalties, and that the overpayment was
due to a clerical error by the society. He said Rose had returned
the extra funds to the organisation.

Guns N' Roses formed in the mid-1980s and recorded such hit
songs as Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City and
Sweet Child o' Mine.

Hudson and McKagan filed a suit against Rose last year, alleging
the singer had wrongly claimed ownership of the group's assets
after he quit the group in 1995. It also claimed that Rose had
blocked Hudson and McKagan from licensing the band's recordings to
movie producers. The case is pending.

Rose is the only member of the band who retains the right to
perform under the Guns N' Roses name. Hudson and McKagan are now
part of the rock band Velvet Revolver.